“Leftfield, Jodi Flynn partner for Outpost Entertainment”

Outpost makes development hire with Halpern

Outpost Entertainment has hired Rebecca Halpern (pictured) as vice president of development.

The appointment marks the first creative hire for the unscripted prodco, which was launched jointly by former Screaming Flea Productions and Cineflix exec Jodi Flynn and Leftfield Entertainment in 2013.

As head of her own indie shop, Halpern has developed and produced documentaries and reality programs for networks such as A&E, History, Discovery Channel, CNN, Animal Planet and LMN. Her credits include Snapped for Oxygen, After the First 48 for A&E and Gangland for History. She has partnered with companies such as 44 Blue, Left/Right, Scott Free and Asylum Entertainment.

Halpern will be based in Los Angeles.

Outpost’s recent projects include Engineering Disasters and Forged in Fire for History, Icons for PBS and Brainstormers for The Weather Channel.

The company will develop and produce unscripted TV content across a broad range of programming genres, in what Flynn calls a “60/40″ model.

Flynn left her role as executive VP of programming at Cineflix Studios last month having joined from Screaming Flea Productions in July 2012. She spent 14 years at Seattle-based Screaming Flea, rising from coordinating producer to VP.

Her shows include Hoarders for A&E, Three Sheets for Spike and Oxygen’s My Shopping Addiction.

Leftfield Entertainment CEO Brent Montgomery said: “Smart, creative and driven, Jodi has earned a reputation for developing and executing different types of programming that resonate for various buyers and viewers.”

Former Screaming Flea Productions exec Flynn was one of a number of personnel that have left UK and North America-based Cineflix as the company continued to restructure its business. At Cineflix she had been executive VP, programming.

At Outpost, she will be based out of Leftfield’s West Coast office and develop and produce unscripted programming.

‘Hoarders’ Producer Forms Reality Production Company

Veteran reality producer Jodi Flynn is forming her own production company.

The producer behind A&E’s Hoarders has teamed with Leftfield Entertainment, the production company behind History’s Pawn Stars and Bravo’s The Real Housewives of New Jersey, to create Outpost Entertainment, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.

Flynn will serve as president of the Los Angeles-based Outpost, which will operate out of the Leftfield offices. Outpost will develop and produce unscripted TV programming across all genres in what Flynn is calling the “60/40 model.” The new company’s aim is to create and produce “highly entertaining series that appeal to both women and men, with the scales tipping slightly toward one demo or the other, depending on the show.”

“As a longtime producer of unscripted television, it’s a huge milestone to be able to launch a production company from the ground up; working in partnership with [Leftfield Entertainment CEO] Brent Montgomery and Leftfield — successful producers entrenched in this industry financially as well as creatively — literally fast-tracked this venture,” said Flynn in the announcement. “As a result, we’re able to hit the ground running and deliver to many different networks standout programming that satisfies a variety of audience tastes and interests. For me, it’s a match made in heaven.”

“I’ve known Jodi for a long time and have had enormous respect for her production talent and expertise, as well as for her entrepreneurial style. Smart, creative and driven, Jodi has earned a reputation for developing and executing different types of programming that resonate for various buyers and viewers,” added Montgomery in a statement. “Starting Outpost Entertainment with Jodi was simply a no-brainer.”

Outpost is the latest venture to join Leftfield’s portfolio of companies, which already includes Leftfield Pictures, Sirens Media and Loud TV.

Flynn was previously executive vp at Cineflix, vp at Screaming Flea Productions and a field producer at National Geographic Channel’s Megastructures; she began her career in news. She also was responsible for Spike TV’s cult series Three Sheets and Oxygen’s My Shopping Addiction.

VARIETY

Leftfield Entertainment continues to add producers to its stable, as the “Pawn Stars” shingle has struck a joint venture with unscripted producer Jodi Flynn to launch full-service production company Outpost Entertainment.

Flynn, whose reality credits include “Hoarders” and “Three Sheets,” will serve as prez of Outpost and be based in Leftfield’s Los Angeles office. Flynn plans to produce unscripted content in what she dubs a “60/40 model,” where shows appeal to both men and women while tipping slightly towards one end of the demo spectrum.

“I’ve known Jodi for a long time and have had enormous respect for her production talent and expertise, as well as for her entrepreneurial style,” said Brent Montgomery, CEO of Leftfield. “Smart, creative and driven, Jodi has earned a reputation for developing and executing different types of programming that resonate for various buyers and viewers. Starting Outpost Entertainment with Jodi was simply a no-brainer.”

Flynn added: “It’s a huge milestone to be able to launch a production company from the ground up…we’re able to hit the ground running and deliver to many different networks standout programming that satisfies a variety of audience tastes and interests. For me, it’s a match made in heaven.”

Earlier this year, Leftfield acquired Sirens Media (“Real Housewives of New Jersey”), adding the shingle to its portfolio. Loud TV also falls under Leftfield Entertainment.

The producer of Hoarders is teaming with the folks behind Pawn Stars on a new production company. Jodi Flynn and Leftfield Entertainment are launching LA-based Outpost Entertainment, which will develop and produce unscripted television content in a range of genres. Flynn, who had been EVP of Cineflix and now will serve as Outpost president, said the company will focus on a 60/40 model: series that appeal to both women and men, with the scales tipping slightly toward one demo or the other, depending on the show.“Working in partnership with Brent Montgomery and Leftfield, successful producers entrenched in this industry financially as well as creatively, we’re able to hit the ground running and deliver to many different networks standout programming that satisfies a variety of audience tastes and interests,” she said. Along with Pawn Stars and its spinoffs, Leftfield’s credits include The Real Housewives Of New Jersey.

Leftfield, Jodi Flynn partner for Outpost Entertainment

Former Screaming Flea Productions and Cineflix executive Jodi Flynn (pictured) will head up an LA-based unscripted prodco, Outpost Entertainment, in a joint venture with Leftfield Entertainment.

Flynn, whose credits include Hoarders and Three Sheets, will serve as president of Outpost, the latest addition to the Leftfield Entertainment portfolio, which also includes Leftfield Pictures, Sirens Media and Loud TV.

The full-service production company will work out of Leftfield’s West Coast offices, and will develop and produce unscripted television in what Flynn calls a 60/40 model – series appealing to both men and women, while tipping the scales slightly towards one gender or the other, depending on the show.

Flynn was most recently the EVP of programming at Cineflix, and prior to that, spent 14 years at Screaming Flea Productions, where she rose from coordinating producer to vice president. She has also served as a field producer for National Geographic Channel’s Megastructures.

“I’ve known Jodi for a long time and have had enormous respect for her production talent and expertise, as well as for her entrepreneurial style,” said Leftfield Entertainment’s CEO Brent Montgomery in a statement. “Smart, creative and driven, Jodi has earned a reputation for developing and executing different types of programming that resonate for various buyers and viewers. Starting Outpost Entertainment with Jodi was simply a no-brainer.”

“As a longtime producer of unscripted television, it’s a huge milestone to be able to launch a production company from the ground up; working in partnership with Brent Montgomery and Leftfield – successful producers entrenched in this industry financially as well as creatively – literally fast-tracked this venture,” added Flynn.

“As a result, we’re able to hit the ground running and deliver to many different networks standout programming that satisfies a variety of audience tastes and interests. For me, it’s a match made in heaven.”